


Courage

by LadyVictory



Series: Moments of Bravery [1]
Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Everyone wants to protect Alex, F/F, Gen, Kara means well, Maggie is hurting and Kara is trying to be a good sister, Missing Scene, Prelude to Sanvers, Sanvers - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-26
Updated: 2016-11-26
Packaged: 2018-09-02 08:32:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,139
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8659888
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyVictory/pseuds/LadyVictory
Summary: She’s been called aloof and cold before, but she decided long ago that it was better than being nasty and out of control. She would rather be hated for being distant than hurt someone out of anger.Except sometimes - some people - they get under Maggie’s skin despite her best efforts. Alex Danvers can control Maggie’s mood with a smile or a raised eyebrow, without even trying. It drives the detective crazy but also brings her a deep sense of joy.Right now, though, Alex is giving Maggie a dose of her own medicine, and the same power to sneak through the cracks that led to late nights giggling over pool and stupid jokes was scraping against that part of Maggie made up of loneliness and wrath, and driving her to that place she hated to be so much.***Kara has some choice words for Maggie, who is just trying to make it through her next beer.Missing scene from 2x07.





	

**Author's Note:**

> AN 1: I have no ownership of wayward Kryptonians, their human sisters, or the women who have caught their fancy.
> 
> AN 2: I was gonna write a short where Maggie is taking Alex on a date and Kara goes all "and what are your intentions towards my sister" but this came out instead. Whoops.
> 
> AN 3: For Julia, who I promised the original story. Maybe I will do that one later.
> 
> AN 4: I love Maggie Sawyer. I love Alex Danvers. So much. They both need to find the happy.

“You’re a coward.”

The words are quiet but insistent, taking Maggie by surprise as she goes to pay for another round. (It’s her fifth beer of the night, and the hour is still early, but who’s really counting right? Who _really_ cares to look out for her?)

“Excuse me?”

Turning, Maggie raises an eyebrow, not prepared for the blonde in a cardigan and black frame glasses who is standing behind her.

“Ah. It’s you. Hey.”

Kara. The sister. Fantastic.

She’s got her arms crossed over her chest, making her look more petulant than intimidating, and her jaw is set firmly to ‘I mean business, Missy,’ in a semi-familiar expression that has the detective aching a little. The effect is kinda cute, in an ‘I’m-a-second-from-stomping-my-foot-and-telling-mom’ sorta way, something that is familiar but also alien (because, come on, they are both grown).

The sight of it makes Maggie miss her family, but also, it makes her miss her own Danvers sister.

Alex Danvers had a much more authoritative way of crossing her arms and glaring (which absolutely did _not_ do things to the NCPD detective, _nope_ , _nuh uh_ ), but Maggie can see echoes in Kara’s stance. The tilt of the head and the (attempt at) the set of the mouth are pure Alex, and Maggie can’t help the warm fondness that spreads up from her stomach to her chest.

Feelings. Exactly what Maggie had been hoping to drown tonight. Just great.

“No. No, ‘hey.’ You don’t get to do what you did then ‘hey’ me.”

What _she_ did. Of course.

The dark haired woman looks the younger Danvers up and down once, annoyed at herself more than the blonde. This was going to turn sour quickly, she could tell by the way Kara shifted her arms down to her sides and spread her legs in the unconscious form of a loose fighting stance.

“Right. Okay then.” Rolling her eyes, Maggie turns back to the bar.

“Did you hear me? Don’t turn away and ignore me.”

Closing her eyes, Maggie groans internally. She should get out of here. She’s had too many beers and been fighting a heavy sort of sad all night, and nothing about her mood mixing with Kara Danvers protective streak could end well.

“I said, you’re a coward.”

“I heard you the first time. Repeating yourself doesn’t make you any more interesting.”

Maggie winces at herself before schooling her features and turning back around, ready to apologize.

Kara’s eyes are a little wider, like she isn’t used to being spoken to that way, and Maggie feels a bit like she’s kicked a puppy who was just nipping at her slippers.

 _You’re an asshole when you’re drunk, Sawyer,_ she scolds herself, sighing.

But that’s not really it.

Maggie Sawyer is a fun drunk. Flirty, a little handsy maybe, who gets progressively louder and laughs easier and harder the more the alcohol flows. She’s a gracious loser and a big tipper and chases the good feelings for the entertainment of everyone.

But Maggie Sawyer borders on dangerous when she is hurting; like a cornered, wounded animal. The darkness that is otherwise suppressed or channeled into otherwise healthy(ish) outlets, becomes a knife’s edge that skims close to the surface, ready to cut anyone that presses too hard. She’s always been that way. She knows it, and she hates it. It’s the sort of thing she sees in others and causes her to sneer with disdain.

To compensate for her rage, it is incredibly hard to catch Maggie off guard enough to hurt her in real time. She’s made sure of it. Like conditioning exercises, she’s poked and prodded at the things that leave her raw until her initial response to pain is to shut down so she can process later - alone where she can’t lash out at anybody.

It makes her seem even, unaffected. She’s been called aloof and cold before, but she decided long ago that it was better than being nasty and out of control. She would rather be hated for being distant than hurt someone out of anger.

Except sometimes - some _people_ \- they get under Maggie’s skin despite her best efforts. Alex Danvers can control Maggie’s mood with a smile or a raised eyebrow, without even trying. It drives the detective crazy but also brings her a deep sense of joy.

Right now, though, Alex is giving Maggie a dose of her own medicine, and the same power to sneak through the cracks that led to late nights giggling over pool and stupid jokes was scraping against that part of Maggie made up of loneliness and wrath, and driving her to that place she hated to be so much.

It isn’t Alex’s fault - Maggie understands. She isn’t really angry at the other woman, just finding it near impossible to control her reactions.

More important right now though, is that it isn’t _Kara’s_ fault.

Kara, whose fight stance is less loose and more ready to defend now. And whose cheeks are flushed with righteous indignation but also hurt. It fills Maggie with shame. She’s just trying to be good to her sister, even if she is going about it like a brat.

“Look, Kara?” Maggie sighed again, running a hand through her hair. “That was… uncalled for. I’m sorry.”

Narrowing her eyes, looking like she wants to be angry but is actually receptive, Kara nods hesitantly.

Honesty would probably serve best, the detective decides, and squares her shoulders.

“I know you’re just trying to stick up for your sister, and I am a little defensive right now.” Maggie can’t quite bring herself to say _Alex_ even though the name has been repeating in her head like it’s the only word she knows since the kiss.

“I… I’m sorry I was rude.” Kara allows, hands coming back up to her chest, more of a shield now than an offensive stance. “I, Alex, she- she talks about you. I know you’re not… a bad person. But, she’s hurting right now and I hate it.” Now Kara sighs, eyebrows pulling up and together in a sad little crease that once again calls forth the image of ‘kicked puppy’ to Maggie’s mind. “She’s always protected me, and been so strong, and I just, I hate that I can’t make this better.”

Maggie smiles, a self deprecating twist of her mouth, as her stomach sours.

“Would you believe it if I told you I wish I could make it better too?”

Kara snorts and rolls her eyes. “Uh, you totally can. Easily.”

The dark haired woman takes a deep breath, readying herself.

“Look, Kara, like I told her, it’s… not a good idea.”

“But you like her, and she likes you,” Kara interrupts, so earnest Maggie can’t help but be fond of her.

“Sure. And _that_ means things will work out and no one will get hurt and everyone will be happy, right?” Her raised eyebrow is all too knowing. Kara flinches. “What would she say if she knew you were here, having this conversation with me?” the detective asks, done with the conversation.

There was no sense in entertaining the possibility of her and Alex - it could only end in heartbreak and bitterness.

Kara has the good grace to look sheepish, eyes suddenly interested in her own shoes.

“That’s what I thought.”

Maggie nods once. She’s more melancholy than when she started the night, but less… raw. If anything, seeing the younger Danvers sister has reminded her that while she is hurting, she was the one who had made the decision here. And that Alex - new, baby gay, excited and scared Alex - is the one who gets to be angry, not her.

She downs the beer in three gulps and puts on her jacket.

With a huff, Kara comes to stand in front of her, blocking her exit.

“She likes you, and you like her. And maybe that isn’t enough to live happily every after, but it’s a start. Why are you giving up on it - on _her_ \- without trying?”

Maggie looks at Kara, blinking hard and slow, feeling the dark thing rising up in her, ready to explode out of her mouth. She may be at fault, but she is still hurting, and who the hell does baby Danvers think she is, anyway? The blonde has a look on her face like she is used to getting her way with people just on her say so, and it irks the detective. Yeah, Alex gets to be mad, but Maggie isn’t beholden to her sister.

_Deep breath, in through the nose and out through the mouth._

The nastiness recedes enough for Maggie to grind out a, _‘she’ll be okay. She has you, doesn’t she?’_ before shifting around the surprisingly immovable younger woman and heading to the door.

“She misses you,” Kara calls out from the bar.

Maggie pauses, not turning around, but feeling the words like arrows in her back.

“She’s the one who’s avoiding _me_ ,” the detective says, barely a whisper.

“Just… you should see her.”

“She doesn’t want to be _friends_ , kid. And, I don’t have the right to make her.”

Faster than seems possible, Kara is beside her, hand on her shoulder, attempting comfort now.

“Alex’s not good at being good to herself. She takes care of other people, but… she gets hurt and she panics and goes into turtle mode.”

“I don’t get to decide how she deals with her pain, Kara. And she made herself pretty clear.”

“Yeah, she told me what she said to you. But, you just, you let her leave. She’s afraid that she’s not good enough, she’s always thought that, and you kinda proved her right. First sign of things being hard and you backed off.”

Maggie feels that like a fist to the gut. She can’t help but flinch.

“You play rough, blondie.”

Kara gives her big, sympathetic blue eyes and sighs again.

“I would hate for her to wake up, tomorrow or next week, when she’s thinking more clearly, and have her miss out on what you… what you can give. Even if it is just being a friend.”

Maggie shrugs the hand off, straightening her jacket, and looks over at the younger Danvers.

“She has friends,” she insists. “And she has me. I meant that when I said it, okay?”

“Yeah, but does she know that? Because if I was her, I’d think I double scared you off - what with the kiss and then the, uh, not-so-nice ranting. She may think she can’t go to you when she needs you.”

Maggie can’t help but smirk.

“She tell you everything, all the time?”

Kara nods, painfully earnest.

“Yeah.”

Maggie swallows hard and nods.

“I’ll be there for her when she needs me, always. She’s good people - she deserves the best.”

Attempting a smile, and failing but managing to look supportive in the process, Kara hops forward and pulls Maggie into a hug. Taken off guard, the detective returns it automatically.

_‘What is it with the Danvers sisters and lack of boundaries?’_

Kara pulls away and Maggie clears her throat. Kara smiles, encouraging.

“She’s gonna be embarrassed. And stubborn. You have to tell her - make sure she knows.”

“I’ve been trying.”

Kara snorts again, with her mouth open, like Maggie said something funny and ridiculous and obvious.

“You gotta corner her. Show her you mean business. But like, in a non-overbearing sorta way because she gets real, uh, _prickly_ when she feels threatened.”

Maggie stares, silent, and Kara wilts a little.

“Right. Uh, well we’ll all be together for the holiday. So if you, you know, wanna stop by that would be good.”

“Right. Because having me show up to have a heavy conversation in front of friends and family is no pressure.”

“Well, when you say it like that…”

Maggie raises an eyebrow, and Kara grins a little. Maggie sighs.

“Just, think about it?”

“Holidays are tough enough, Baby Danvers. But... I’ll make sure she knows.”

Kara tries to look positive, but can’t quite keep the disappointment off of her face. She squeezes Maggie in a quick hug again though, before backing off.

“Need help getting home?” she asks, clearly knowing she’s pushed her luck as far as it can go.

Maggie can’t help but smile, a bit charmed. “Nah, I’m good. Thanks.”

Kara nods and backs away, waving.

“Bye Maggie.”

“Bye kid.”

Shaking her head as Kara practically floats away, Maggie bites her lip.

Absolutely, without a doubt, it is a bad idea. She shouldn’t.

 

It takes Maggie almost all the way home to realize that, not once, has she denied having feelings for Alex. Only that things would not work out between them. It is sobering and too real.

She knows what she needs to do. She just hopes it goes half as well as Kara thinks it will...

**Author's Note:**

> I just whole heartedly believe that Kara Danvers cannot help herself. She would absolutely stick her nose in Alex's business, but of course with that big ol' heart of hers, she wouldn't be able to stay mad at Maggie long. (Honestly, who can? Have you seen those eyes and those dimples?)


End file.
